Step-ladder.



No. 639,380. Patented Dec. l9, I899. J. D. HALL.

STEP LADDER.

(Application filed Aug. 23, 1899.) (No Model.)

D. a]! L agfar JULIAN DUANE HALL, OF BOSTONIA, CALIFORNIA.

STEP-LADDER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 639,380, dated December 19, 1899. Application filed August 23, 1899. Serial No. 728,237. (No model.)

To ctZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JULIAN DUANE HALL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Bostonia, in the county of San Diego and State of California, have invented a new and useful Step-Ladder, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in step-ladders, and more particularly to that class which is designed to be employed to facilitate the gathering of fruit.

The object of the invention is to provide a ladder of simple construction having a platform of considerable size provided with a fruit-basket-retaining device, the ladder, its brace, the platform, the standard therefor, and the basket-retaining arm all being capable of being folded into small compass to facilitate storing and transportation.

Referring to the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective View of my ladder in position for use and showing in dotted lines the platformstandard removed from its restand the standard, platform, and basket-retaining arm all in their folded or depressed positions; and Fig. 2 is a detail perspective view showing the manner of connecting the ladder to the platform and brace-bracket by a single bolt.

Referring to the numerals of reference on the drawings, 1 indicates a ladder comprising side pieces 2 2, connected by intermediate transverse steps 3.

4: indicates the rear brace, designed to be divergently related with the ladder, as usual, and provided at its upper end with divergent bracket-irons 5, through the extremities of which is passed the tie-bolt 6 at the top of the ladder, said bolt constituting a swivel connection between the ladder and brace, as well as between said ladder and the platform 7, which is provided at one end with an inverted- U-shaped bracket 8, through the lower extremities of which the bolt 6 also passes.

The numeral 9 indicates a standard hinged to the under side of the platform 7, adjacent to its outer end, and designed to be adjustably supported upon the brace 4 by means of a series of rests 10, which arrangement permits the platform 7 to belocated horizontally, notwithstanding the various angles at which it may be desired to place the latter and its brace. Y

11 indicates a wire or other light arm hinged, as indicated at 12, to the outer edge of the platform 7 and provided at its upper end with a hook 13 for the reception of the handle of a basket, bag, or other receptacle designed for the reception of fruit. The hinge l2v of this basket-retaining arm may be any desired form of stop-hinge which will prevent the arm from projecting from the platform at more than a right angle, but which will not prevent. its pivotal movement in the opposite direction until it is in practical alinement.

In order to retain the receptacle-supporting arm in its elevated position, I provide a spring 14, connected at one end to the brace 4;, preferably near its upper end, and which is in turn connected through a wire or other connecting mechanism 15 with an arm 16, projecting from the arm 11. It will now be seen that while outward movement of the arm 11 will be resisted by the spring 14 the latterwill oppose no resistance to the decline of the arm 11, as the platform swings down to its lowest position upon the release of the standard 9, upon which it rests.

By reference to Fig. 1 of the drawings it will be noted that the ladder constructed as described may be readily mounted for use and maybe packed into small compass when desired.

What I claim is-- 1. A device of the class described compris= ing a ladder, a platform mounted on the ladderat the top thereof, a folding receptaclesupporting arm hinged to the platform, and a spring connected with the arm for retaining the same in an elevated position, substan= tially as described.

2. A device of the class described comprising a ladder proper, a brace hinged to the same, a folding platform also hinged to the ladder proper, a standard supporting the platform and detachably engaging the brace, a folding basket-supporting arm mounted on the platform, and a spring connected with the brace and with the basket-supporting arm and adapted to maintain the ladder in its supporting position, substantially as described.

ing perforations to receive the bolt and ar'= ranged between the sides of the ladder proper, a platform provided with an inverted-U shaped bracket arranged between the said diverging bracket irons and provided with perforations for the said bolt, and means for supporting the platform, substantially as described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

JULIAN DUANE HALL.

Witnesses:

P. BROMVER, WM. STELLI 

